Guidelines for Living on this Earth

Over the years I have wondered about the tension between leaving things as they are or trying to capitalize on or improve upon nature—to convert ‘resources’ to the use of man.  Civilization, of course, has won the battle.  Nature often has suffered.

It has been man’s battle to make civil or to subdue that which is untamed or, in its natural state, is not useful for humankind. That is the nature of ‘progress,’ I suppose. It is the process of rearing a child from infancy to maturity; of protecting it from harm and educating it from ignorance to self-sufficiency.  It is the process of clearing the land and planting and harvesting the crops; of eradicating disease; of building cities; of subduing those who violate the rights of others. 

Taking such a stance presupposes that mankind is more important than nature and that the ‘natural’ or uncivilized man is a threat.  For the most part I agree.  I believe that God provided this earth as a place for man to come to take a step in his eternal progression.  In the beginning (of this earth) God gave man “dominion”—stewardship—“over all the earth” and told him to “replenish the earth and subdue it,” to take good care if it. Why?  To better serve man in his needs and in his probation. So, we should not do 'battle' with the earth, but rather work with it and respect it and consequently it can work for us.

Since the earth man lives upon has finite resources, yet man has the unalienable right to exercise agency--which he often abuses--a tension exists.  We must remember that you and I are not earth's only inhabitants.  Resource management devolves upon all of us—not just the agencies and managers and regulators.  The need for conservation and respect for the web of life must always be part of our consciousness.  (I urge you to continue this essay in writing or verbally in your family or with your friends.)

For today, in closing,  I tender a few common things to think about regarding our personal responsibilities in sharing this planet with others: 

·        It is much easier to consume than it is to produce.  It takes but a minute to cut down a tree; it takes decades to grow it.  Water is pure at its source but becomes more contaminated as man pollutes it.  The farther air is from mankind’s pollutants the purer and more breathable it is. Examine your consumer practices with regard to your use of trees, water, air, petroleum products, etc.

·        A couple of good guidelines to more responsible living you might consider are some dicta I have come to believe in:

Ø Ask yourself, ‘Is it sufficient for my needs?’ Accumulating more than that may be conspicuous consumption that will ultimately do you and others more harm than good.

Ø ‘Do no harm.’  This is a dictum of the medical profession.  It could and should be extended to every sort of human endeavor.  Take good care of what you’ve got--relationships with people, material things, your health, our earth, etc.

Ø Leave the place better than you found it.  As we have built upon the contributions of others, let those who follow us build upon what we have left--and not to just clean up after us. Be part of the solution--not part of the problem.